Cue the decorations, the lights, the big dinners—and the rush of shoppers to your business. With so much going on for small-business owners like you during the end of the year, it’s important that you take time to care for your own mental health during the holidays.
From one business to another, we’re offering a few suggestions to help you stay healthy and sane throughout the holiday season.
Business Is Important, but So Is Your Mental Health During the Holidays
When we think of holiday burnout, we usually think of overworked parents rushing around to decorate the house, shop for presents, and cook huge family meals. And while that stereotype is all too often true, holiday burnout can also apply to small-business owners—maybe even more so.
While holidays can be some of the busiest times for businesses, they’re also the most lucrative. IBISWorld estimates that Americans spend as much as $228.5 billion on holidays throughout the year. And to no one’s surprise, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Halloween are among the top 7 holidays people spend their money on. This time of year is likely crucial to the financial health of your business.
And yet it’s important that business owners not get so caught up in the sales and the busyness to the point of burnout.
Remember the True Meaning of the Season
The only way to make sure you don’t let the holidays become all about the business for you is by focusing on what’s most important—your faith, your family, your friends, gratitude, and generosity.
Those values are what the holiday season are truly about, so take care not to lose sight of them during these busy months. That might mean taking a vacation—at least for a few days—around the holidays just to clear your head and spend time with family. That might also mean limiting the overtime hours you let yourself work.
You know what’s best for you and your family. Our suggestion is that you take the time now to think through how you want to spend this holiday season and what work boundaries you want to set in place.
Don’t Be Hard on Yourself for Any ‘Holiday Blues’
The holidays are a hard time for many people. Sometimes it’s because they’ve lost a loved one, and the holidays remind them of that special person. Other times it’s because they feel alone, and other people’s Christmas joy only serves to remind them of their own loneliness. In other cases, people with mental illness report that the holidays only make their struggles worse.
So if you’re struggling with loneliness or discouragement, please know that, first of all, you’re not alone. And, second of all, don’t let overworking yourself be your escape route from the holiday blues.
If you’re struggling with depression this season, reach out to someone. That “someone” can be a friend, a family member, or even a therapist. But reach out—don’t try to get through it alone.
Rest: The Key to Mental Health During the Holidays
Our next suggestion to help you take care of your mental health during the holidays is to make sure you relax!
That might sound overly simplistic, but many small-business owners need to hear it. Sit down and mark off the days on your calendar that you will dedicate to spending time with family and relaxing. Allow yourself to rest and rejuvenate. If you don’t make time for it, no one else will make it for you.
Hire Out Business Tasks Where You Can
Lastly, make sure you’re not trying to do everything yourself during the holidays. We’ve already written about all the financial tasks you should start doing this quarter. You don’t have to—and you shouldn’t try to—do it all alone.
When you hire a strategic accounting partner like Foray Business Group, you save yourself time and stress, especially during the end of the year. We make bookkeeping cleanup and preparation for next year easier with our services and accounting advice.
You don’t have to pore over your financial records for hours on end. Let us do that for you so you can spend extra time relaxing with your family and taking care of your mental health during the holidays.
Sign up for a free consultation to see how we can help you!
Another great way to lessen your year-end stress is by downloading our free Tax Season Checklist for small businesses. Simplify the process this coming tax season!